Pipe cutter



March l, 1938.

w. I .CHURCH IPE GUTTER Filed NOV. 5, 1954 Patented l, 1938 UNITEDSTATES PIPE GUTTER. WalterL. C hurch, Houston, Tex. Application Novembers, 1934, serial No. '151,217

12 Claims. This invention relates to a pipe cutter. An object of theinvention is to provide an inside pipe cutter of the type adapted tocutby rotation and embodying novel means for maintaining the cutters inactive or inactive positions.

Another object is to provide in a pipe cutter,

-novel means for maintaining the cutter blades in inactive positionwhile lowering the cutter into the pipe or relocating the same therein,said means being releasable by a rotation of the operating string andbeing capable of reengagement by longitudinal movement of the operatingstring to the end that it will not be necessary to rotate said string tothe left and to thereby incur the risk of unscrewing a joint connectingsections of said string.

This invention embodies certain improvements over that type of insidepipe cutter disclosed in y the application filed by myself and othersinthe United States Patent Ofiice on the 14th day of September, 1931,under Serial Number 562,768, issued May 15, 1934, under. Patent No.1,959,284, as well as that type disclosed in application filed by myselfon March 27, 1934, under Serial Num-l ber 717,570.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction, operationandarrange- :50 ment of parts, -an example of which is given in thisspecification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

- Figure 1 shows a side view of the cutter, partly in section, shown ininactive position and located in the pipe to be cut.

Figure 2 shows a similar view to that shown in Figure 1 showing thecutter in active position. Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view takenon the line 3 3 of Figure 2, and

- Figure 4 shows a fragmentary side view of the f operating stem showinga type of pipe puller to be used for pulling the cut pipe.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals ofreference designate the same parts in each of the figures, the numeral Idesignates the tubular cutter body which may be attached to the lowerend of the operating string 2 and which is reduced'and extended formingthe tubular mandrel 3.` Attached to the lower end of the mandrel thereis a suitable guide 4. The lower end of the bodyv proper has theexternal blade slots 5 wherein are pivoted the swinging blades 6. 'Iheupper ends of these blades are extended above their pivots and areseated against the outwardly working springs 'I in the body whichnormally hold the blades retracted. The lower ends of the blades havethe outwardly directed points, or bits, 8. Any suitable type of bladesor cuttersvmay be employed. I

On the mandrel beneath the cutter body there 5 is a wedge ring 9 whoseupper end is formed with the upwardly extended, wedge like bladeactuators I0 having the external downwardly ared faces II and the bladeshave the correspondingly beveled inside faces I2 which may ride on the10 v faces II to expand the'plades. The ring'9 is-suitably splined onthe mandrel 3.

On the mandrel beneath the wedge ring'9 there is a jaw expander I3,having the upper and lower upwardly-flared faces I4, I4. The adjacentends 15 of the ring 3 and expander I3 have the internal annular groovesI5, I6, respectively and there is an inside coupling ring I'I having theoutside ribs 18, I9 which run in said grooveswhereby the wedge ring mayturnfrelative to the expander I3. 20 A suitable bearing ring 20 maybeinterposed between said w'edse ring Aand expander if desired.

The expander I3 has the tubular extension 2l which nts loosely over themandrel 3 and a sleeve like liner 22 has a sliding fit on saidextension. 25 Around the expander I3 and the extension 2|c thereof thereis a sleeve 23 into which the liner 22 is driven and in the lower end ofwhich are mounted the radial gripping members 24 which are seated on thecoil springs 25. The inner ends 30 of said springs rest against saidliner. The ends of said gripping members engage the heads of the setscrews 26 which are screwed into the sleeve 23.; The guide 4 and sleeve23 Amaybe connected by the slips 21, more accurately shown in Figure 2.35 These slips have the outside, downwardly tapering faces 21awhich-ride against corresponding, inside downwardly converging faces2lb, in the lower end of the sleeve.23. TheyI have the inside right handbuttress threads 2'Ic to receive corre- 4o spending threads 4a on `thereduced upper end of the guide 4. The slips are normally held in theirdownward and inward position by the action of gravity, 'which may beassisted bylsprings 21d which are interposed between the upper endsv of45 the slips and the downwardly facing shoulder 23a of the sleeve 23.

Mounted in the upper end of the sleeve 23 are therad-ially movable slipjaws 2l whose inner sides have the tapering upper and lower faces 50 23,29' which conform to the shape of and ride againstthe faces I4, I4'.'I'he outer-surfaces of these slip jaws are toothed. These jaws work lthrough suitable slots in the sleeve 23 and their ends engage the headsof set screws 30, screwed 55 into said sleevewhereby the jaws areretained in place.

When the guide 4 is screwed into the slips 2l, `as shown in Figure 1,the springs 21d will operate to hold the slips in their downward andinward and the corresponding threads 4a' are downwardly pitched so thatguide 4 will be securely held by said slips and the cutter will bemaintained in inactive position.

In operation the cutting tool, as shown in Figure 1, is lowered into thepipe to be cut to the point selected for the cut. The gripping members24 are in frictional engagement with the inside of the pipe and when thetool is located at the selected place the operating string 2 and themandrel 3 may be turned to the right and meanwhile lowered and the guide4 will be gradually screwed out of and detached from the slips 21 andthe lower end of the sleeve 23, said gripping members meanwliile holdingsaid sleeve sta.-

tionary. v

The mandrel 3 and expander Il,` may then move downwardly relative to theslip jaws and said jaws will be expanded into engagement with the pipeto be cut and the tool will thereby be anchored in place and the bladeswill be actuated outwardly by the actuators llinto engagement with theinside of the pipe. The operating string may now be rotated andgradually lowered and the blade bits 8 will be gradually forcedoutwardly until the pipe is severed.

The string 2 and mandrel 3 may now be elevated and the reduced upper endof the guide 4 will enter between the slips 21, said slips movingupwardly and outwardly to permit this, and thereupon the threads 4a and21e will interengage and the guide 4 may thus be reattached to thesleeve 23 without the necessity of turning the string to the left andincurring the danger of unscrewing a joint connecting the sectionsthere- When the guide is reattached to the sleeve 22 the expander I3will be maintained in its upper, or released, position to release the:laws 28 and said jaws may then move inwardly to release the.

pipe. The body I will also have moved upwardly to carry the blades 6clear of the blade actuators and the blade bits will be retracted bythesprings 1 to clear the cut oi! section of the pipe.

'Ihe tool may then be lowered to carry the grapple, or ilshing tool 35,carried by the operating string, down into the cut oi! section to pullthe same from the well, if the same can not be pulled, the cutting toolmay be relocated therein and another out made.

What I claim is:

1. A pipe cutter adapted to cut a pipe in a well-by rotation, andcomprising relatively movable parts, means for gripping the pipe to becut and eiective to hold one of the parts stationary, the other partbeing also rotatable relative to the stationary part, a tapering face onone part, a wedge shaped slip mountedto cooperate with said face underthe influence of gravity and radially movable and having threads, theother part having threads arranged to engage the slip threads and to bedisengaged therefrom by rotation'to permit the downward movement of onepart, relative to the other part, upon disconnection with said threads,a cutter on the rotatable part, means for actuating the cutter outwardlyinto cutting relation with the pipe upon such downward movement, saidslip being movable radially upon upward movement of the rotatable partto permit the inter-engagement of said threads.

2. A pipe cutter adapted to cut a pipe in a well by rotation; andcomprising relatively movable parts, means for gripping the pipe to beposition and the threads 21o are upwardly pitched cut and effective tohold one of said parts stationary, the other part being also rotatablerelative to the stationary part, a slip movably mounted on one part andmovable to active position under the influence of gravity and havingthreads, the other part having threads arranged to engage the slipthreads and to be disengaged therefrom by rotation of the rotatable partto permit downward movement of the rotatable part upon disconnection ofthe threads, av cutter on the rotatable part, means for actuating thecutteroutwardly into cutting relation with the pipe upon such downwardmovement, said slipbeing movable radially upon non-rotative upwardmovement of the movable part to permit the threads to pass and tointerengage upon completion of such upward movement to hold said movablepart in upper or elevated position.

3. A pipe cutter adapted to cut a pipe in a well by rotation andcomprising two parts which are relatively movable longitudinally, meansfor gripping the pipe to be cut and effective to hold one of said partsstationary, the other part being also rotatable relative to thestationary part, a movably mounted slip on one part having threads andmovable to active position under the inlluence of gravity, the otherpart having threads formed `to mesh with the slip threads when the slipisv in active position and 4to be disengaged therefrom by rotation ofthe rotatable part, whereby to permit downward movement of the rotatablepart upon disconnection of the threads, cutting means movable outwardlyinto cutting relation with the pipe upon such downward movement, saidslip being mounted to move approximately radially upon a non-rotative,upward movement of the rotatable part to permit cooperating threads toassume their intermeshed engagement to hold said movable part in upperor elevated position.

4. A pipe cutter adapted to cut a pipe in a well by rotation andcomprising two parts which are relatively movable longitudinally, meansfor gripping the pipe to be cut and eifective to hold one oi" said partsstationary, the other part being also rotatable relative to thestationary part, a movably mounted slip on one part subject to movementby gravity and having threads, the

' other part having threads formed to mesh with the slip threads upongravity movement of the slip and to be disengaged therefrom by rotationof the rotatable part, whereby to permit downward movement of therotatable part upon disconnection of the threads, cutting means movableoutwardly into cutting relation with the pipe upon such downwardmovement, said slip being mounted to move approximately radially upon anon-rotative, upward movement of the rotatable part to permitcooperating threads to assume their intermeshed engagement to hold saidmov- .able part in upper or elevated position, and means for limitingthe range of longitudinal movement of the rotatable part relative to thestationary part.

5. A pipe cutter adapted to cut by rotation in a pipe in a well andcomprising a tubular cutter body having vertical slots, a tubularmandrel formed integrally with and depending from the body. cutterspivotally mounted in said slots whose lower ends are providedwith4outwardly 75 1 tension depending from directed bits and inside beveledfaces, a wedge ring on the mandrel beneath the cutters formed withcutter actuators, means preventing the rotation ofthe ring relative tothe mandrel, a tubular jaw expander on the mandrel having upwardly aredfaces, means for rotatably connecting the expander with the wedge ring,a tubular exthe expander around the mandrel, a sleeve around saidextension, upwardly and outwardly expansible slips in the sleevenormally held in contracted position by gravity, yieldably mountedgripping members on said sleeve, a guide attached to the lower end ofthe mandrel, said guide and slips having intermeshing threads having awedging engagement, shaped to effect the expansion of the slips andengagement of the threads lupon a longitudinal movement of the mandreland guide relative to the sleeve and to be disconnected by rotation ofthe mandrel and guide relative to the sleeve and slip jaws mounted onthe sleeve and arranged to be expanded by said expander upon release ofthe guide from the sleeve.

6. A pipe cutter adapted to be cut by rotation in a well and comprisinga tubular cutter body whose lower end is reduced and extended forming atubular mandrel, said body having vertical side slots above the mandrel,cutters in said slots whose upper ends are pivoted and whose lower vendsare formed with outwardly directed bits,

yieldable means normally holding the bits retracted, a guide attached tothe lower end of the mandrel, a wedge ring splined on the mandrelbeneath the cutter body and having inwardly tapering actuators thereon,said cutters having beveled inside faces adapted to ride on saidactuators to expand the cutters, a jaw expander having a downwardlytapering face and located on the mandrel beneath the wedge ring, meansconnecting the expander and wedge ring to permit their relativerotation,v a tubular extension on the expander around lthe mandrel, a'sleeve around said extension having a downwardly converging face,radially movable gripping members working through said sleeve, yieldablemembers normally holding said gripping members outwardly, slip jawsmounted in the sleeve around the expander, expansible slips on saidface, the downward pitch of the face being such that the slips will benormally heldin contracted position by gravity, said lguide and slipshaving threads shaped to expand the 'slips and intermesh the threadsupon longitudinal movement of the guide relative to the sleeve in onedirection, and shaped to be released by rotation of the mandrel andguide, relative to the sleeve.

7. A pipe cutter adapted to cut a pipe in a well by rotation andcomprising relatively movable parts, means for gripping the pipe to becut and effective to hold one of said parts stationary, an upwardly*andoutwardly tapering face on the stationary part, a wedge shaped slipmounted on said face to move upwardly and outwardly in the stationarypart, threads on the slips and the other part whereby said parts may beconnected and disconnected, said threads being shaped to be engaged uponthe upward movement of said other part and to be disengaged by therotation of said other part, said rotatable part being movabledownwardly` relative to the stationary part when the threads aredisconnected, a cutter on one part and means for actuating the cutteroutwardly into cutting relation with the pipe upon such downwardmovement.

8, A pipe cutter adapted to cut'a pipe in a tive to the mandrel,

well by rotation, and comprising relatively movable parts,.one of whichis rotatable, means for gripping the pipe to be cut and eiectiv/to holdone of said parts stationary, an upwardly and outwardly, inside,tapering face on the stationary part, a wedge-shaped slip mounted inthe' stationary part on said face and movable downwardly and inwardly bygravityand upwardly and outwardly and having inside threads, saidrotatable part having external threads arranged to en- .gagethe slipthreads and to be disengaged therefrom by the Arotation of the rotatablepart to permit the downward movement of said rotatable part vupondisconnection of the threads,` a cutl ter on one part, means foractuating the cutter some of said openings and extending ut beyondV thesleeve, means for limiting the-outward movement of the gripping members,yieldable seats on which thegripping members are seated,` radiallymovable slip jaws fitted through the other of said openings andprojecting out beyond the sleeve and means for limiting the outwardmovement y of the slip jaws.

10. A pipe cutter adapted to cut by rotation in a well and comprising atubular cutter body, a tubular mandrel extended beneath the body, saidbody having vertical side slots above the mandrel, cutters in said slotswhose upper ends are piv'oted and whose lower ends are formedwithoutwardly directed bits, means' normally retaining said bitsretracted, a guide on the lower end of the mandrel, cutter actuators onthe mandrel beneath, and adapted to expand the'cut-i ters, a jawexpander having a downwardly tapering face and located on the mandrelbeneath the actuators, means for connecting said expander and -actuatorsto permit their relative rotation, a tubular extension on the expanderwhich i'lts closely over the mandrel, a sleeve around said extensionwhose lower end has a releasable connection with the guide, radialgrippingmembers working through the sleeve, a liner in the sleeve,yieldable seats between the gripping members and liner normally holdingAthe gripping membersl outwardly and slip jaws, and mounted on thesleeve. Y

11. In a pipe cutter, an outside sleeve having openings, radial grippingmembers 'fitted through some of said openings and extending out beyondthe sleeve, radially movable slip jaws fitted through other of saidopenings and extending out beyond they sleeve, means for limiting theoutward movement of the gripping members and slip jaws, a liner in thesleev ,yieldable seats between the liner and the gripping members andslip jaws respectively.

around the expander 12. A pipe cutter adapted to cut by rotation inapipe in a well and comprising a tubular cutter body having verticalseats, a tubular mandrel depending. from the body, cutters pivotallymounted in saidseats whose lower ends are p'rovided with outwardlydirected bits and inside beveled faces, a wedge ring on the mandrelbeneath the cutters formed-with cutter actuators,

means preventing the rotation of the ring relaatubular jaw expander onthe mandrel having an upwardly flared face, means Aior rotatablyconnecting the expander with the wedge ring, a tubular extensiondepending from the expander around the mandrel, a

' sleeve around the extension, a liner in the sleeve,

10 of the mandrel, said guide and slips having inter- Vguide from thesleeve.

WALTER L. CHURCH. 10

meshing threads shaped to eiect the expansion of the slips andengagement of the threads upon a longitudinal movement of the mandreland guide relative to the sleeve in one direction and to be disconnectedby rotation of the mandrel and guide relative to the sleeve and slipjaws.

mounted on the sleeve and arranged to be expanded by said expander uponrelease of the

